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Major James A Goodson 336FS, 4FG, 8AF USAAF.
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P-47D Thunderbolt WV-F of (then) Capt. James A. Goodson
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Cartoon of the "Debden Aces:, 4th FG.
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A mock briefing of 4th Fighter Group pilots at Debden. Pilots include (order unknown): Lt. Ralph Hofer, Capt. William Smith, Lt. Warren Johnson, Lt. Ralph Saunders, Lt. Howard Moulton, Lt. Donald Patchen, Capt. Reuben Simon, Lt. Donald Emerson, Lt. Leonard Pierce, Lt. Robert Church, Capt. Alfred Markel, Lt. David Howe, Capt. Bud Care, Lt. Richard Reed, Lt. Robert Kenyon, Capt. David Van Epps, Lt. Robert Carr, Lt. William Rowles, Lt. Allen Bunte, Maj. James Goodson, Lt. Lloyd Henry, Lt. Shelton Monroe, Capt. Robert Hobert, Capt. Mike Sobanski, Capt. Nicholas Megura, Capt. Duane Beeson, Capt. Don Gentile, and Lt. Col. Jim Clark, Jr. (map in hand).
Note that this particular images cuts off a little of boths sides so a few pilots mentioned are not actully in the picture.
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Lieutenant Don Patchen, Captain Bob Hobert, Lieutenant Don Emerson, Major Jim Goodson, and Lieutenant Bob Tussey of the 336th Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Group, study their squadron's score board. In one month 336th Squadron downed 156 enemy planes which was a record in both the European and Pacific theaters.
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Lt James A Goodson in the cockpit of P-47D 42-7959 VF-W 336FS, 4FG, 8AF USAAF.
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Col. Donald J. M. "Col. Don" Blakeslee, [Fairport Harbor, OH] 4th FG Headquarters Squadron. P-47D 42-7863 WD-C. This photo was taken following the mission of 16 August 1943 when Col. Don was set upon and shot up by three FW190s. Although heavily oil streaked, he brought it safely back to Debden thanks to Jim Goodson who shot one of them off his tail and provided escort.
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336th Fighter Squadron CO Major James Goodson in the cockpit of his P-51B Mustang in late May 1944.
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1 April 1944 - A visit by the 'brass' to Debden was capped by this dinner featuring a host of famous faces.
Lt. Col. Oscar Coen (left, facing camera), Maj. Gen. William Kepner, Mr. Banks (standing), Lt. Col. Jim Clark, Gen. Dwight Eisenhower, Col. Don Blakeslee, Gen. Carl Spaatz, Capt. Don Gentile, Brig. Gen. Jesse Auton, Capt. Joe Lang, Col. Fallows (left, nearest camera), Brig. Gen. Curtis, Maj. Jim Goodson, Lt. Gen. Doolittle, Capt. Bob Johnson, Commander Harry Butcher, Capt. Alfred Markel, and Lt. William Rowles.
On the far row in the centre is Supreme Allied Commander Gen Dwight D. Eisenhower, and to his left is Col Don Blakeslee, Lt Gen Carl Spaatz, commander of US Strategic Air Forces, and Capt Don Gentile. Second from left in the back row is Maj Gen William Kepner, head of VII Fighter Command. Sitting opposite Gen Eisenhower is Brig Gen Jesse Auton, 65th Fighter Wing CO, and to his left is Maj James Godson and, turning, with his back to the camera, Mag Gen James Doolittle, commander of the Eighth Air Force.
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1944 - This last-minute briefing of 336th Fighter Squadron pilots includes Capt Kenneth D. Peterson (top left), 1st Lt Willard Millikan (left) and Capt James 'Goody' Goodson (back to camera).
Major Goodson was a U.S. citizen born in New York City on 21 March 1921 of British parents. He was raised in Toronto, Canada, by his mother following his father's death. In 1939, upon graduation from high school, he had no money but a desire to meet relatives in England, so he decided to go to sea and ship-out as a crew member. He obtained a job aboard an ocean liner as a pantry boy. He made it to England and was able to visit his aunt and uncle in Kent., and then went on to France. He was in Paris when the Germans invaded Poland.
He decided to return to Canada, booking passage on the S.S. Athenia, the last ship to leave Liverpool prior to war being declared. When off the Hebrides, the passenger ship was struck by a torpedo from a German U-Boat. Of the 112 killed, 88 were women and children fleeing the conflict in Europe. Goodson helped with the survivors and then had to swim to a lifeboat.
They were later rescued by a Norwegian tanker, which returned them to Galway, Ireland.
He was so angered by the attack that he immediately enlisted in the RAF. He was sent to the RCAF in Canada to train. Back in Canada, the RCAF gave him flight training in Dunville, Ontario.
After completing his training in the RCAF on 12 May 1941 he was assigned, as a Sergeant Pilot, to the RAF and sent to an Operational Training Unit, flying Hawker Hurricanes. On 6 June 1942 Jim joined his combat squadron, No. 416 (Canadian), flying Spitfires. He saw plenty of action with the squadron, including covering the ill-fated Dieppe landing in August.
On 24 August Jim was transferred to No. 133 (Eagle) Squadron, based at Debden. On 29 September the unit was accepted into the USAAF. Jim was in the 4th Fighter Group, 336th Squadron. As a Lieutenant in the newly formed group he still flew Spitfires until January 1943, when U.S. planes became available. His group switched to P-47 Thunderbolts, a very different plane from the Spitfire, but quite potent in its own right.
With the advent of the P-47 there began a new chapter in the history of the 4th Fighter Group. The increased range of the P-47 allowed victories to start accumulating. Colonel Don Blakeslee, the Group Commander, was not yet satisfied, and fought hard to get the P-51 Mustang for the Group and was finally successful, when in February 1944 the Mustang was introduced into the conflict.
Goodson's first victory, an Fw-190, on 23 June 1943, was followed by many more. He became proficient in shooting down Luftwaffe planes, and soon 15 had found they could not outfight him.
In the meantime, he became known as the "King of the Strafers", wrapping up 15 enemy aircraft destroyed on the ground for a tortal of 30 destroyed. The end of his combat with the 4th Fighter Group was not the least unusual. Now a Major and CO of the 336th Squadron, he strafed Neu Brandenburg Airfield in Germany. A 20mm found its mark and he was badly wounded in his legs, but managed to crash-land and hobble off to a nearby wood.
He kept on the run for a week before being captured. He was questioned by the Gestapo and summarily thrown into solitary to be shot the next morning. Jim, who spoke German well, cleverly convinced the SS that he was too valuable to the Reich alive and was transferred to the Luftwaffe's jurisdiction. He was welcomed and duly interrogated by Hanns Scharf, the Luftwaffe's master interrogator. He was assigned to Stalag Luft III, and was greeted by many of his friends who had preceded him.
During the winter of 1944/45, Jim, along with many other POWs were marched across Germany away from the advancing Red Army, finally arriving at a camp near Nuremberg. Then were on the march again, this time toward Moosburg, at which they were finally liberated.
"Goody" had flown combat in Hurricanes, Spitfires, Thunderbolts and Mustangs, and had 30 enemy aircraft to his credit. His decorations included the Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross with eight Oak Leaf Clusters, the Air Medal with 20 Oak Leaf Clusters, the Distinguished Unit Citation, and the Purple Heart.
After the war he married Gwen, his English wartime sweetheart, and earned an MBA from Harvard University. Eventually he became head of two U.S. companies in Europe and later a Vice-President and Group Executive at IT&T. He retired to Duxbury, Massachusetts.
Service
People
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Military | Major | Pilot | 4th Fighter Group
Sobanski was born on 29-Jul-19 while his mother was visiting her sister on holiday from Poland. Shortly after Mike was born he and his mother returned to Poland, where Mike received his education.
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Units served with
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Group
Some of the pilots of the 4th Fighter Group had seen many hours of combat by the time they joined the 4th Fighter Group as they had volunteered with the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Royal Air Force. The three 'Eagle Squadrons' of RAF Fighter...
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Squadron
The 336th Fighter Squadron was constituted by the War Department on 22 august 1942, and was activated at Bushey Hall, England, on 12 September. It had been designated as No. 133 (Eagle) Squadron, and was made up of American volunteers to the Royal Air...
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Squadron
'On 1 August 1941, No. 133 reformed at Coltishall as the third 'Eagle' Squadron manned by American personnel. Equipped with Hurricanes it became operational at the end of September. The next month the Squadron moved to Northern Ireland, returning to...
Aircraft
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P-51 Mustang
Assigned to 336FS, 4FG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) strafing mission to Paris area, shot down while strafing Beauvais Airdrome. A/C hit by flak, caught fire and exploded on impact southeast of Le Mesnil-sur-Bulles, France. Pilot 2nd Lt Gerald C...
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P-51 Mustang
Assigned to 336FS, 4FG, 8AF USAAF. Flown by Major James A Goodson. Transferred to 354FS, 355FG, 8AF USAAF. Failed to Return (FTR) from patrol mission, hit by Flak whilst strafing ground targets Nogent-le-Rotrou, France. Pilot Lt Robert D Couture evaded...
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P-51 Mustang
One-time personal aircraft of Major James A Goodson.
Shot down by ground fire on 20 June 1944 - Goodson bailed out and became a POW.
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P-47 Thunderbolt
Assigned to 336FS, 4FG, 8AF USAAF. One-time personal aircraft of Capt James A Goodson.
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Spitfire
Supermarine Spitfire BL722 Mk Vb, Built at Castle Bromwich Aircraft Factory.
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P-51 Mustang
One-time personal aircraft of Major James Goodson.
336th Fighter Squadron CO Major James Goodson claimed his 14th, and last, aerial victory in this fighter on 25 May 1944.
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P-47 Thunderbolt
16-8-43 Destroyed 2 x Fw190's and damaged another over Paris
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P-51 Mustang
Lost 4 June 44 - Lt. Robert L Kakerback KIFA. Castle Camps/ 3mi E.
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P-51 Mustang
Assigned 336FS, 4FG, 8AF USAAF. Robert L Gilbert Crew Chief assigned.
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P-47 Thunderbolt
Assigned to 336FS, 4FG, 8AF USAAF. Transferred to 53FS, 36FG, 9AF USAAF.
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Associated Place
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Military site : airfield
An RAF Station with US lodger units. USAAF Spitfires and P-38s were attached to RAF No 11 Group stations in mid-1942 for training; also used for special operations by British and US forces.
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Military site : airfield
RAF Duxford, now a museum and still a working airfield, was operated by the USAAF from 1943 to 1945. The base was briefly the home of the 350th Fighter Group in late 1942, but it was not until April 1943 that it became a fully American station when the...
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Events
Event |
Location |
Date |
Born |
New York, NY, USA |
21 March 1921 |
Lived in |
Toronto, ON, Canada |
1942 |
Died |
Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, USA |
1 May 2014 |
Buried |
Massachusetts National Cemetery
Bourne, Barnstable County, MA |
4 May 2014 |
Massachusetts National Cemetery
Bourne, Barnstable County, Massachusetts
Plot: Section 54 Site 489
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